Sen. Manchin to skip Democratic convention

Three prominent West Virginia Democrats said Monday that they would skip the party's national convention in Charlotte, N.C., this September over concerns that links to the party could hurt their re-election chances.

Sen. Joe Manchin, Rep. Nick Rahall, and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin all said they would avoid the convention, according to the West Virginia Metro News.

"I intend to spend this fall focused on the people of West Virginia, whether that's representing them in my official U.S. Senate duties or here at home, where I can hear about their concerns and ideas to solve the problems of this great nation," said Manchin in a statement. "I will remain focused on bringing people together for the next generation, not the next election."The announcements come after Manchin and Tomblin both indicated earlier this year that they were not sure they would personally support President Obama's re-election effort.

“The people in West Virginia, they basically look at the candidates — whatever you’re running for, whether it be the president itself, or whatever — [they look at] the performance and the result that’s been attained,” Manchin told the National Journal in April. “Right now in West Virginia, these first three and a half years haven’t been that good to West Virginia. So, then you look [at] what the options will be, who will be on the other end.”

Tomblin reiterated that he had not decided who to back in November when discussing his decision to opt out of attending the convention.

“As he has said, he has serious problems with both Governor Romney and President Obama," Tomblin campaign spokesman Chris Stadleman told the Metro News. "The Governor feels that his time is best spent working in West Virginia to move our state forward instead of attending a four-day political rally in North Carolina.”

It's not a mystery when you understand a few basic facts about the people living in West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania and much of Ohio.

1) Most of the people are extremely socially conservative Democrats, many of whom feel left behind by a Democratic Party that has lurched too far to the left for them in recent years.

2) The economy in many places, now much as in the past, is still heavily dependent on the coal fields and the relatively new energy boom based on Natural Gas extraction through the Fracking Process. With so much of the economies in the area dependent on the Coal and Natural Gas industries, many of the residents feel as if they are under attack by the extreme policies toward those industries endorsed by this president and the Democratic party.

3) With many people in these areas residing on family farms, again, many of them feel as if they are under attack from this administration through the polices and and regulations being imposed on them by the Democratic Party led by the EPA.

All in all, the people living in these areas are basic church going social conservatives who are feeling more and more at odds with a Democratic Party that is increasingly disenfranchising them.

shybuffguy saidAll in all, the people living in these areas are basic church going social conservatives who are feeling more and more at odds with a Democratic Party that is increasingly disenfranchising them.

^^^ VERY TRUE^^^ However, in fairness, it should also be noted that this is how many in the Republican party are feeling who are more liberal on social issues but feel disenfranchised by a GOP who is under an attempted hijacking by the far right. Suffice to say, the USA is in dire need of a leader, a true leader, who can launch a 3rd party and embrace all who inhabit the middle.

shybuffguy saidAll in all, the people living in these areas are basic church going social conservatives who are feeling more and more at odds with a Democratic Party that is increasingly disenfranchising them.

^^^ VERY TRUE^^^ However, in fairness, it should also be noted that this is how many in the Republican party are feeling who are more liberal on social issues but feel disenfranchised by a GOP who is under an attempted hijacking by the far right. Suffice to say, the USA is in dire need of a leader, a true leader, who can launch a 3rd party and embrace all who inhabit the middle.

The difference is the right social conservatives are influential but they are not driving the train, and the nominee is a moderate. On the left, the far leftists are in charge and many moderates, or blue dogs, were not supported by their own party.

socalfitness saidThe difference is the right social conservatives are influential but they are not driving the train, and the nominee is a moderate. On the left, the far leftists are in charge and many moderates, or blue dogs, were not supported by their own party.

All the more reason why a 3rd Party needs to emerge that wipes out the fringes and embraces the majority of Americans who probably are moderates at heart and, more importantly, are just plain FED UP with both parties.

shybuffguy saidAll in all, the people living in these areas are basic church going social conservatives who are feeling more and more at odds with a Democratic Party that is increasingly disenfranchising them.

^^^ VERY TRUE^^^ However, in fairness, it should also be noted that this is how many in the Republican party are feeling who are more liberal on social issues but feel disenfranchised by a GOP who is under an attempted hijacking by the far right. Suffice to say, the USA is in dire need of a leader, a true leader, who can launch a 3rd party and embrace all who inhabit the middle.

That may well be true. Being from Southwestern Pennsylvania, I am what most of you would classify as extremely socially conservative or "the far right". Therefore, I can't really speak to the issue of socially liberal Republicans. I respect that you think that the Republican Party is being hijacked by the "far right", that's not an opinion I share. We don't always have to agree on everything, but if we can agree on seven or eight things out of ten, I see no reason why we can't respect where the other is coming from.

socalfitness saidThe difference is the right social conservatives are influential but they are not driving the train, and the nominee is a moderate. On the left, the far leftists are in charge and many moderates, or blue dogs, were not supported by their own party.

All the more reason why a 3rd Party needs to emerge that wipes out the fringes and embraces the majority of Americans who probably are moderates at heart and, more importantly, are just plain FED UP with both parties.

I don't see that as feasible or even desirable. If a new party were to emerge and the "fringes" all marginalized, then we would end up with a single all powerful party. Be careful what you wish for.

shybuffguy saidI respect that you think that the Republican Party is being hijacked by the "far right", that's not an opinion I share.

What I really meant is that the far right is TRYING to hijack the GOP. Because of that, more moderates like Mitt Romney, if they have any hope of getting the nomination, have to cow-tow to these groups to a certain degree. Granted, once elected, that does not mean he will necessarily cow-tow to them while governing...and I suspect he won't.

shybuffguy saidI respect that you think that the Republican Party is being hijacked by the "far right", that's not an opinion I share.

What I really meant is that the far right is TRYING to hijack the GOP. Because of that, more moderates like Mitt Romney, if they have any hope of getting the nomination, have to cow-tow to these groups to a certain degree. Granted, once elected, that does not mean he will necessarily cow-tow to them while governing...and I suspect he won't.

The Far Right hijacked the Republican Party in the 1980s when Reagan realized he had to pander to religious conservatives to win the presidency. It has grown and metastasized into a tumor that is destroying the party from within and Romney's insane lurch to the right is proof that the Republicans are an election or two away from being a regional party.

That SBG doesn't see this is because he's the fringe of the lunatic fringe.

Christian73 saidRomney's insane lurch to the right is proof that the Republicans are an election or two away from being a regional party.

...or an election away from controlling The White House and, who knows, maybe even Congress. Christian, the GOP has been around something like 160 years...I think they can survive some over-zealous bible thumpers who refuse to join the 21st Century

shybuffguy saidI respect that you think that the Republican Party is being hijacked by the "far right", that's not an opinion I share.

What I really meant is that the far right is TRYING to hijack the GOP. Because of that, more moderates like Mitt Romney, if they have any hope of getting the nomination, have to cow-tow to these groups to a certain degree. Granted, once elected, that does not mean he will necessarily cow-tow to them while governing...and I suspect he won't.

The Far Right hijacked the Republican Party in the 1980s when Reagan realized he had to pander to religious conservatives to win the presidency. It has grown and metastasized into a tumor that is destroying the party from within and Romney's insane lurch to the right is proof that the Republicans are an election or two away from being a regional party.

That SBG doesn't see this is because he's the fringe of the lunatic fringe.

This is the best you can come up with? I would have expected someone who whines, bitches and calls names as much as you do to have come up with something better than this. When do you grow up and act your age?

shybuffguy saidI respect that you think that the Republican Party is being hijacked by the "far right", that's not an opinion I share.

What I really meant is that the far right is TRYING to hijack the GOP. Because of that, more moderates like Mitt Romney, if they have any hope of getting the nomination, have to cow-tow to these groups to a certain degree. Granted, once elected, that does not mean he will necessarily cow-tow to them while governing...and I suspect he won't.

The Far Right hijacked the Republican Party in the 1980s when Reagan realized he had to pander to religious conservatives to win the presidency. It has grown and metastasized into a tumor that is destroying the party from within and Romney's insane lurch to the right is proof that the Republicans are an election or two away from being a regional party.

That SBG doesn't see this is because he's the fringe of the lunatic fringe.

This is the best you can come up with? I would have expected someone who whines, bitches and calls names as much as you do to have come up with something better than this. When do you grow up and act your age?

Oh don't mind him, there's a negative relationship between how crabby he is and how well he thinks the Democrats are doing - so if anything, this is a good sign.